Proper Dog Restraint on Walks
With the Western Pennsylvania weather warming, many are taking their pooch for walks more often, versus letting the dog do its business within a fenced-in yard. One thing people don’t realize is, dog bite incidents often occur while a dog is on a leash.
Take it from our Pittsburgh dog bite lawyers, liability exist for a dog bite (or animal attack causing injury to another), even when the animal is secured to a leash. Pennsylvania does not have a “leash law.” However, the law in PA does require reasonable control over a canine. Some leashes are not reasonable given the size or ability of the dog to bite through restraints.
What, then, is the right length and type of leash to prevent dog bites?
Leash Length
The standard leash will vary from four to eight feet. The most common is a six foot leash, which offers adequate room for a dog to meander, while offering suitable restriction.
A shorter leash gives a dog less freedom, but it also denies the animal leverage to build up momentum to pull you toward a target. Plus, in a crowded walking area, the shorter leash will prevent sudden bursts toward other dogs or people in the area. This can greatly help prevent animal attacks, especially where significant foot or bicycle traffic exists.
Types of Leashes
A dog harness is always a good idea, but you have to secure it to something to control the dog. There are several types of leashes: standard, retractable, adjustable (in terms of length), seatbelt safety leash. Let’s start with the most basic, first.
Standard Leash
Most are made from leather or nylon; however, other materials exist, including cotton or rubber. Unfortunately, cotton and rubber are more prone to wear and tear from the weather or the dog’s teeth. A dog with behavioral issues can make short work of nylon or rubber. Leather is prone to weathering from the sun or rain. Leather requires regular maintenance for it to maintain durability.
Nylon is a decent choice, in terms of requiring the least amount of maintenance to ensure its strength. However, in terms of both durability, overall strength and lack of maintenance issues, a chain or wire leash is the best. Short of rust, metal is the strongest.
Retractable Leashes
These are quite popular among dog owners, giving the animal freedom to explore while, in theory, maintaining control over the dog. For liability purposes, however, a retractable leash exposes the dog owner to liability, for:
- Failing to keep constant attention for people or other dugs suddenly appearing from all directions;
- Negligent use of the controls or buttons, causing slack to appear;
- Foreseeable product failure, as the mechanical mechanisms controlling the leash are usually contained within a plastic case. This makes it difficult to know when internal devices or latches are broken. It is not a good defense to claim that the latch broke, as all retractable leashes carry the foreseeable risk of mechanical failure.
All of that said, our Pittsburgh lawyers would not recommend the use of retractable leash unless the dog owner carries excellent lability insurance. A retractible restrained simply has too many moving parts and ways it can fail, contributing to an attack.
Adjustable Dog Leashes
These offer the durability of a basic leash with some freedom to adjust the length based on the growth of the dog. This can be an ideal choice. Here, again, the width will depend on whether your dog is a “chewer.” Under the law, it is always foreseeable that a dog will chew through a leash.
Safety-belt Safety Leashes
A safety-belt leash is used inside your vehicle. Technically, it does not involves “walking” a dog, but many drive to a location to a location, where a walk takes place. With motor vehicle travel, there is always the risk of you animal escaping before it is secured outside on a leash. Our Pittsburgh dog bite attorneys have encountered numerous situations where the attacking dog has escape from a vehicle. This is another scenario where the dog owner can be liable for failing to reasonably restrain a dog. It is always a good idea to have a dog restraint attached to your vehicle.
Conclusion
In truth, the best defense to a claim for a dog bite or animal attack is for the dog owner to have good liability insurance. That said, the attorney assigned to defend your case by your insurance company will have a much easier time defending you, if you do certain things. It will help if you show you made reasonable attempts to restrain your dog. A retractable leash creates freedom for your dog, but it creates numerous liability issues mentioned above. The most durable leash, overall, will be one made of chain or wire, to prevent wear from the elements or the dog’s teeth.
Contact a Pittsburgh lawyer at our dog bite firm — any time — for a free consultation about any animal attack claim or defense in Pennsylvania.
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